1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle mounted implement, and, more particularly, to an attached or removable floatdown implement capable of being supported by a small vehicle.
2. Background
All terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) and other small vehicles are capable of accomplishing otherwise difficult or laborious tasks in a relatively short amount of time. As a result, such vehicles are frequently used in connection with farm work, landscaping, and other such labor-intensive activities.
Accessories capable of being attached to and supported by such vehicles are also known. A removable snow plow, for example, may be mounted to a small vehicle to remove snow and ice from various surfaces, such as driveways, sidewalks, short road segments, parking lots, and other similar relatively limited areas of space that are too small for a full size snow plow to maneuver, yet large enough that shoveling by hand would result in a very labor intensive and time consuming task.
Indeed, the small vehicle-mounted plow has become a popular alternative to shoveling heavy snow and ice by hand for several reasons. First, small vehicles such as ATVs are typically quite maneuverable. Second, the blade on a small vehicle-mounted removable snow plow typically comprises a much larger surface area than hand snow shovels, thus providing greater snow removal capabilities with each pass. Third, the time required to shovel a driveway, sidewalk, parking lot, etc., is significantly reduced, due to the speed, power, and efficiency with which a small vehicle is able to remove snow and ice compared to shoveling by hand. Fourth, there is virtually no physical exertion or energy expended by the operator of a small vehicle, as opposed to a significant amount where shoveling by hand. Fifth, operating a small vehicle is often an enjoyable experience, even if for work related purposes.
Several prior art ATV and other small vehicle-mounted plow designs exist. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,745, U.S. Pat. No. 9,590,336, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,708, all incorporated herein by reference. Prior art plow designs are generally mounted to a vehicle using a heavy duty pivotable frame suspended from an underside of the vehicle chassis. The pivotable frame attaches generally below the mid point of the vehicle at a pivot point. This configuration keeps the front end of the vehicle from becoming too heavy for satisfactory operation. A mechanical operating lever is provided to lift the blade off of the ground by rotating the blade about the pivot point. Due in part to the space occupied underneath the vehicle by the plow frame, however, and also due to the cant of the plow blade, the plow blade cannot typically be raised more than 2 or 3 inches off of the ground.
Moreover, many prior art plow designs suffer from the following deficiencies. First, many plow users lack the strength or energy required to manipulate the plow blade in a manually operated system. Second, prior art plow systems are generally difficult to mount and remove from a vehicle. Thus, most users mount the plow to a vehicle at the beginning of the winter plow season and do not remove the plow until the season is over. With the plow installed, the vehicle is virtually useless for any other purpose. Indeed, as discussed above, there is very little clearance under the bottom cutting edge of the plow blade even when the blade is completely lifted. There is also very little clearance under the chassis of the vehicle due to the presence of the mounting frame beneath the chassis. Further, the weight of the plow substantially alters the maneuverability of the vehicle to which it is attached.
Another drawback to prior art systems is that many small vehicles, especially ATVs, are relatively light in weight (e.g., lighter ATVs range from about 450 lbs. to 600 lbs. in total weight not including the weight of the plow). Such vehicles thus tend to be underpowered or lack sufficient traction to move large quantities of snow.
Another problem associated with prior art plow designs is blade floating, which results in irregular and/or uneven ground surfacing. Also, blade floating leaves behind residual snow and ice deposits, which may build up and create slush and other problems once warmer weather arrives. Adding weight to the blade of the plow helps reduce floating, but requires the vehicle to work harder and lose critical traction. When the blade is forced down under added weight, the vehicle has a much more difficult time pushing the blade and gripping the surface, effectively negating any efficiency in blade leveling that may otherwise have been gained. Moreover, many plow designs incorporate a spring loaded blade that, upon contact with an immovable object, pivots or rotates so that the top of the plow moves forward while the bottom of the blade rides up over the object. During the period the blade is pivoted, however, the bottom edge of the plow loses contact with the ground, thus forming a residual ridge of snow and ice. A secondary effect of such a ridge is that as the tires of the vehicle cross the ridge, the vehicle is lifted up over the ridge, often causing the plow to temporarily leave the ground. This may result in the formation of a second, smaller ridge. Once the object is cleared, the spring causes the blade to abruptly snap back into position, thus contributing to further leveling and/or floating problems.
Another disadvantage to traditional plow systems, particularly to V-plow systems where a pair of plow blades is connected along a vertical hinge, is that it is difficult to maintain the bottom cutting edge of the plow blade flush with the ground surface unless the plow is precisely mounted on the vehicle and the plow blades are accurately positioned to align the bottom cutting edge flush with the ground. In addition, it is difficult or even impossible to provide evenly distributed downward pressure to a V-blade plow as the bottom cutting edge of the V-plow does not in general remain flush with the ground surface when rotated downward.
Although an operator-controlled actuator mechanism that provides power to an electric actuator to raise and lower the plow may overcome some of these deficiencies, prior art designs that incorporate such a mechanism nevertheless suffer from certain inherent problems. Namely, electrically powered plow designs in the prior art tend to add a significant amount of weight to the plow as a result of requiring a proprietary motor. Also, the incorporation of such a motor renders the plow much more expensive than a manually operated plow.
Accordingly, what is needed is an implement capable of quick and easy installation and removal from a small vehicle. Also what is needed is a small vehicle-mounted implement that is easily operated, and that optimizes efficiency in implement performance. Further what is needed is a small vehicle-mounted plow that may be electrically powered without incurring substantial additional weight and expense.